Readings in Money and Banking: Selected and AdaptedPhillips, Chester Arthur
General
Readings in Money and Banking: Selected and Adapted
Phillips, Chester Arthur
Banks and banking; Banks and banking -- United States; Money
The experience of last spring in India proves the adequacy of a reserve
of 15 or 20 per cent. of the circulation to maintain the steady parity
of a token coinage. There is apparently no evidence that serious
distrust of the rupee arose, even when the Government was hesitating as
to just what steps should be taken to meet the demand for exchange. Even
if such distrust had arisen, however, it could have expressed itself
through financial channels only by the demand for drafts on London.
These would not have been very valuable to the average local tradesman
except as he was able to sell them back again to the banks for the very
rupees which had aroused his distrust. In this respect the gold exchange
standard may be said to put a brake upon the disposition to export
currency from fear alone, when the exportation is not demanded by the
balance of trade.
If any mistake was made in the management of the Indian currency, it was
in the investment of too large a proportion of the gold standard reserve
in securities. While investment in securities is naturally attractive
because of the income earned, and while it is not subject to just
criticism while kept within certain limits, the possession of actual
gold to a considerable amount is highly desirable. It would not be
necessary, perhaps, that such gold should be "earmarked." If the Indian
Government had a large deposit account in such an institution as the
Union of London and Smith's Bank, or the London City and Midland, it
would possess for the purposes of the Indian Government the character of
gold. Drafts against such a deposit could be sold without the discount
or delay which might be required in disposing of securities. It seems
highly desirable, therefore, in spite of the prudence with which the
recent pressure was met, that at least 30 or 40 per cent. of the gold
standard reserve should in the future be kept either in "earmarked" gold
or in the form of demand deposits.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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